What do you think?
Rate this book
Black Shuck: 1577: A Tale of Strange & Wonder: Book One
Not yet published
Expected 2 Feb 26In 1577 England, Abraham Fleming, a disgraced Cambridge scholar, travels to the fog-shrouded village of Bungay to prove the existence of a mythological beast known as the Black Shuck. He collides with Edward Tanner, a cynical spy for the Crown, and Samuel, a haunted member of a secret order, who are investigating the same string of brutal, seemingly supernatural killings. As they uncover a conspiracy involving a fanatical cult, they are forced to confront not only the monstrous hound but the shared trauma that binds them to it, culminating in a desperate bargain that unleashes an even older, more dangerous power upon the world.
362 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication February 2, 2026
6 people want to read
About the author
P. M. Morgan
1 book2 followersP. M. Morgan is a writer from Hull, East Yorkshire, whose work is inspired by folklore, myth, and the retelling of legendary figures. He is particularly drawn to the way old stories change when they are taken seriously and placed back into their historical settings.
An avid reader of science fiction and fantasy, Morgan writes dark historical fiction that explores the uneasy boundary between recorded history and folklore. His debut novel, Black Shuck: 1577, was inspired by the real-life writings of the Elizabethan scholar Abraham Fleming and the enduring Black Shuck legend of Bungay.
When not writing or reading, he spends his time with his two daughters.
An avid reader of science fiction and fantasy, Morgan writes dark historical fiction that explores the uneasy boundary between recorded history and folklore. His debut novel, Black Shuck: 1577, was inspired by the real-life writings of the Elizabethan scholar Abraham Fleming and the enduring Black Shuck legend of Bungay.
When not writing or reading, he spends his time with his two daughters.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
Black Shuck a old English tale, given new life in this dark fantasy retelling.
First, thank you to the Author for letting me have the pleasure of reading this, their debut novella. Wow, what a debut it is.
The depth of character and description is beyond realism; it almost felt like I was there walking those muddy roads or crossing the marshes of ancient Britain at a time of superstition and lore.
Each of the characters became vivid, lifelike and real. Every new mention of them brought something visceral and tangible to their already well-formed and almost physical likeness in my mind, becoming more lovable or intolerable as they did.
The locations- the depth of detail made it seem like the author had been there, sketched them, and written down even the smallest of details in preparation for the story to unfold. down to even the smallest things, such as the smells or light or lack thereof, making them leap from the page, engaging me in a way that felt surreal and almost lifelike. (have tempted to visit the places and see if I can envision them as they were in the book)
Every being or person outside of the main cast still stood out, easy to see and feel their presence, even if you get that icky feeling about them.
The emotions of the book are fully engaged; you can feel the terror of sorrow, the happiness, and the laughter. I found myself speeding up with the tension, a rush of adrenaline, almost like I stood and fought at their side.
This book has reignited my passion for the darker side of fantasy, something that has dwindled in recent years, but now, thanks to this new independent author, I truly think I will be skipping a few of my TBR and grabbing another dark fantasy from the shelf.
Again, thank you for the pleasure of reading the book and the pleasure it brought to me as a reader.
First, thank you to the Author for letting me have the pleasure of reading this, their debut novella. Wow, what a debut it is.
The depth of character and description is beyond realism; it almost felt like I was there walking those muddy roads or crossing the marshes of ancient Britain at a time of superstition and lore.
Each of the characters became vivid, lifelike and real. Every new mention of them brought something visceral and tangible to their already well-formed and almost physical likeness in my mind, becoming more lovable or intolerable as they did.
The locations- the depth of detail made it seem like the author had been there, sketched them, and written down even the smallest of details in preparation for the story to unfold. down to even the smallest things, such as the smells or light or lack thereof, making them leap from the page, engaging me in a way that felt surreal and almost lifelike. (have tempted to visit the places and see if I can envision them as they were in the book)
Every being or person outside of the main cast still stood out, easy to see and feel their presence, even if you get that icky feeling about them.
The emotions of the book are fully engaged; you can feel the terror of sorrow, the happiness, and the laughter. I found myself speeding up with the tension, a rush of adrenaline, almost like I stood and fought at their side.
This book has reignited my passion for the darker side of fantasy, something that has dwindled in recent years, but now, thanks to this new independent author, I truly think I will be skipping a few of my TBR and grabbing another dark fantasy from the shelf.
Again, thank you for the pleasure of reading the book and the pleasure it brought to me as a reader.
Review of advance copy received from Author
To start off, I’d like to thank P M Morgan for the chance to arc read Black Shuck 1577. I’ve very recently gotten into this genre and after seeing some TikToks about the book, I wanted to give it a read.
The book is set in 1577 and the end goal is to prove the existence of a mythological beast called, Black Shuck due to many brutal and what seems to be supernatural killings. This makes four individuals to collide lives when the legend of Black Shuck suddenly becomes real.
The first chapter just has you intrigued and wanting you to read on and see the journey through. Find out whether the legend is true or not. There are intense moments early on in the book that grip you straight away, especially if you had no idea about the legend in the first place… Like me…
The interpretation of locations were spot on and illustrated excellently to the point that you can picture every small detail in the story. PM was really good at making an eerie setting. All of the characters were also written really well and you knew their personalities straight away.
Before reading this book, I had no idea about the legend of Black Shuck and have since done more research into it. Readers that are into mythological tellings of old lore would thoroughly enjoy this book and I would recommend it.
The book is set in 1577 and the end goal is to prove the existence of a mythological beast called, Black Shuck due to many brutal and what seems to be supernatural killings. This makes four individuals to collide lives when the legend of Black Shuck suddenly becomes real.
The first chapter just has you intrigued and wanting you to read on and see the journey through. Find out whether the legend is true or not. There are intense moments early on in the book that grip you straight away, especially if you had no idea about the legend in the first place… Like me…
The interpretation of locations were spot on and illustrated excellently to the point that you can picture every small detail in the story. PM was really good at making an eerie setting. All of the characters were also written really well and you knew their personalities straight away.
Before reading this book, I had no idea about the legend of Black Shuck and have since done more research into it. Readers that are into mythological tellings of old lore would thoroughly enjoy this book and I would recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews